Four for High Court over murder of Tain mother

Four persons who are accused of murdering a Tain mother in February, last year, in her home, were yesterday committed to stand trial in the High Court in Berbice.

Oliver Permaul, 36, a barber, of Lot 100 Tain Settlement; his wife Nazima Permaul, 42, who operated a business in Rose Hall Town, Corentyne; Andre James, also known as ‘Andy’, 26, a tattoo artist of Lot 46 ‘A’ George Street, Rose Hall Town and Rohan Johnson, also known as ‘Jamakie’, 38, a Jamaican national and a carpenter of Lot 107 Second Street, Rose Hall Town were all charged jointly with the murder of Leilawatie Mohamed, also known as ‘Aunty Leila,’ 45, a domestic worker of Lot 149, Sixth Street, Tain Settlement, Corentyne on February 7th, 2017.

The Permauls were represented by Attorney-at-law, Mursaline Bacchus. James was represented by Attorney-at-law, Bernard De Santos, and Johnson was represented by Attorney- at-law, Motie Singh.

Leilawatie Mohamed

In September, Magis-trate Charlyn Artiga had ruled that a prima facie case was made out against the accused, after which they had to lead their defences.

Also in September Magistrate Artiga had discharged the case against the fifth accused, Shabiki Alert Thompson who was represented by Legal Aid attorney Sasha Roberts.

Indira Outar, the woman who was charged with allegedly procuring the five persons to murder Mohamed was also freed in September with Thompson.

Magistrate Artiga had ruled that the prosecution failed to prove that the woman had any meeting with the five accused before the murder and that she had issued payments to them. The magistrate had also ruled that there was no evidence to prove that the woman was at the scene during the crime.

Outar was represented by attorney-at-law Mursaline Bacchus, while the case was prosecuted by Police Prosecutor Phillip Sheriff at the Whim Magistrate’s Court.

On February 7th, 2017, two men, clad in black clothes, invaded Mohamed’s home after kicking down the front door.

The men demanded cash from Mohamed and when she said she did not have any money to give, the gunman, without hesitation, placed the gun to her chin and shot her at close range, killing her instantly. A subsequent investigation by police determined that Mohamed’s murder was not a robbery but a planned “hit.”